Aaron Croad, '12

In a nutshell, what do you do?

I work as a data analytics consultant at Ernst & Young. In general, I am brought in on projects to assist in analyzing big data to determine real-world applicability to our clients. We do this mainly by using tools such as Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, and Tableau (to name a few) to load, store, and transform data into something meaningful. A few specific projects I have dealt with concern identifying duplicate payments made by the client, creating models to determine likeliness of committing fraud, and creating a database in Microsoft Access to aid in a client's billing process.

Why do you love what you do?

Ernst & Young is such a big company that there is quite a bit of variety in my line of work. There are employees who have worked there for their entire careers and say that they always have something new and exciting to work on and learn from. So far, everything I have done has been new, and consequently, I haven't stopped learning after graduating from Albion. Being able to have variety and a continued education (in any sense) in my line of work was the two things I valued most in a job coming out of college, and Ernst & Young provides both for me.

How did Albion help you get there?

I had a very well rounded education at Albion. Academically, my major in Math-Econ gave me the knowledge to learn quickly and efficiently the world of data analytics. By getting a minor with the Gerstacker Institute, I was able to see the incredible value of data in the context of the business world. The other classes that filled up my course load and met the requirements for a liberal arts degree gave me the confidence to approach new challenges with vigor, the perspective to always look outside the box, and the ability to relate and communicate effectively with clients and colleagues.

Through my connections with Gerstacker and the Econ Department, I was able to obtain, and excel at, internships with Humanergy (a management consulting company in Marshall, Mich.) and Ernst & Young.

The connections at Albion allowed me to get my foot in the door in the working world. My education (and what I did with it) did the rest!

For me, Albion ...

... helped me discover my potential, introduced me to lifelong friends, prepared me for life after college, and will always be my home away from home.